CHAR ACTE R S. 



285 



having a great superiority of educa- 

 tion, laid the basis of that fame, 



" Which left like Egypt's kings a lasting 

 tomb :" 



whilst Jones, not having exertion 

 enough to improve his education, 

 nor conduct sufficient to render him- 

 self deserving of patronage or public 

 countenance, stunted the growth of 

 his natural talents, and in the end 

 fell a sacrifice to his dissipations. 



Henry Joiies was born at Bcivley 

 near Drogheda, in the north of Ire- 

 land, about twenty-five miles from 

 Dublin, in the year 1721. His fa- 

 mily, in all probability, were in low 

 circumstances, as he was bred a 

 bricklayer. He, however, had a 

 good English school education pre- 

 vious to his apprenticeship, and 

 shewed such a desire to improve 

 that little, that in the course of 

 learning his trade, he made himself 

 acquainted with some of our best 

 authors, and with many translations 

 from the Greek and Latin poets. 

 This course of study in time induced 

 him to try his hand in versification ; 

 and whilst he seemed to mix un- 

 noticed in the common herd of me- 

 chanics, Jones at once surprised the 

 corporation of Drogheda with a 

 complimentary copy of verses, with 

 some hints towards the farther im- 

 provement of their town, trade. Sec. 

 &c. These verses, which were 

 never printed, and of which the 

 author kept no copy, were reckoned 

 so good, that they were for some 

 time thought to be above the flight 

 of a bricklayer ; but Jones soon 

 identified his claim to the muses by 

 other productions, and particularly 

 by some lines occasioned by the 

 death of Mr. Pope, which, as one 

 of the earliest production of our 

 author, we insert. 



On Mr. Pope's death. 



These lines to Pope for ever sacred live. 

 The best a grateful mourning muse can 



give; 

 To him now number'd with th' immortal 



dead, 

 This verse unfeign'd with flowing eyes b«- 



read. 

 O thou ! applauded hy the wise and great, 

 Nor worth or genius could postpone thy 



fate ; 

 Too Ion? an exile from the worlds of bliss. 

 By envying aogelssnatch'd too soon from 



this, 

 Thy strains seraphic shall their anthems 



raise, 

 Give heaven new harmony — and God new 



praise. 



These poems so recommended 

 him to the favour of the corporation 

 of Drogheda, and other gentlemea 

 of the town, and in particular to 

 lord chief justice Singleton, who 

 lived at Bewley, where Jones was 

 born, that they paid him every kind 

 of civility, and constantly made 

 him one of their convivial parties. 



In the latter part of life Jones 

 would have fastened upon this kind 

 of patronage, and yielding to the 

 pleasures of a corporation table, 

 would liave thought his time hap- 

 pily filled ; but youth is the season 

 of spirit and adventure, and an op- 

 portunity soon offered of calling out 

 our young poet to greater scenes, 

 and more independent prospects. 



The parliament-house in Dublin 

 being about to be repaired at ihis 

 time, a number of workmen in all 

 branches were in much request; and 

 Jones living but twenty-five miles 

 from the capital, thought this would 

 be a lucky opportunity to try his 

 fortune. His line and rule were his 

 immediate pretensions ; but his muse 

 was the mistress he secretly relied 

 on. With this hope he left Drog- 

 heda .ibout the beginning of the 



year 



